Rapid-fire gun



c. w. LANG RAPID FIRE GUN. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6.19M.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

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RAPID FIRE GUN.

APPLICATION man MAY16|19l6.

Patentd Mar. 9,1920.

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C. W. LANG.

RAPID FIRE GUN.

APPLICATION FI LED MAY I6. 1%!!6.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

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RAPID FIRE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. I916.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

cQw. LANG. RAPID FIRE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16.19l6- Patented Mar. 9,1920.

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:Irwanfom CHARLES W LANG- c w. LANG. RAPID FIRE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. l9l6.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

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,RAPID FIRE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY Is. 1916- Patented Mar. 9,1920.

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C. W. LANG.

RAPID FIRE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. 1916.

Patented Mar. 9,1920.

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C. W. LANG.

RAPID FIRE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. 1916.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

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6/ fin/enter A mw UNITED STATES CHARLES W. LANG, OF. PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAPID-FIRE GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9,1920.

Application filed May16, 1916. Serial No. 97,886.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. LANG, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rapid-Fire Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention, while embodying features of novelty which are adapted, severally and collectively, for embodiment in various types of automatic firearms, is designed pri marily for and will be herein illustrated as embodied in a rifle caliber rapid fire gun adapted to be operated semi-automatically, or with full automatic rapidfire at will.

Some features of the invention relate to the general construction and assembly of the main parts of the gun, whereby the construction of the gun as a whole '1 simplified, the assembly and disassembly of its parts is rendered more convenient, and the parts, therefore, made more readily replaceable. and the endurance of the gun and its capacity to resist adverse conditions in service are enhanced. Other features of the invention relate to mechanisms whereby the gun is adapted to function in certain novel ways with advantageous results.

For the purpose of making known the underlying principles as well as the char acteristics of structure and cooperative relationship which identify the various features of the invention, reference will be made to the embodiment disclosed in the drawings forming part of this specification. But while this embodiment of the. invention involves numerous structural details that are claimed as new per se, such details are to be taken as illustrative merely, and not as definitive of the scope of the invention, which is rather to be gathered from the language of the claims.

In said drawings Figures 1 and 1 together show the complete gun in side elevation;

Figs. 2 and 2 together show the receiver with the barrel, its cooling fiue and the gasactuated mechanism for functioning the gun, in vertical axial section, the grip frame and fire-controlling mechanism being omitted, and the breech closure shown in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the receiver, in

vertical longitudinal section, minus all removable parts;

Fig. 3* is a sectional view of the trunnion-- mounting; 1

Fig. 4c is a vertical longitudinal section'of thel rear portion of the gun, on an enlarged sca e;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5 5 of- Fig. 4, the plane of section being 'through the pintle upon which the grip frame hinges.

' Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the portion of the gun shown in Fig. 2. i

Fig- 7 is a horizontal section through portions of the breech operating mechanism shown in Fig. 2. 1

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on the line 8"8 of F igs, 2 and 6.

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the line 9"-9 of Figs. 1, 6 and 7.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section through the receiver justj', above the plane of the top edge 2 of the frame, Fig. 4.

Fig. 11 shows a portion of the receiver and frame in vertical section on the line 11 11 Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a detail view parts of the trig er lock;

Fig. 13 is a etail view of the breechblock. arresting mechanism and parts controlling the same;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view .of the parts of the breech block and locking wings segregated; and Fig. 14 their arresting lever;

Fig. 15 is a detail'view of the bifurcated drive rod structure through which movement is transmitted from the rod of the gas driven piston to the locking wings;

Fig. 16 is a detail view of the combined spring housing, tumbler-bolt and safety-pin guide, shown in section in Fig. 4;

Fig. 17 is a detail view of the throat of the receiver and the magazine latch mountof the ooacting ed thereon;

Fig. 18 is a perspective View of the magazine-latch releasing lever;

Fig. 19 isa detail view of the bolt of the latch that secures the magazine against-turn- 111g Fig. 20 is a vertical transverse section through the grip-frame in a plane that intersects the thumb trigger and the plunger which it controls;

Fig. is a detail view of the magazine stop Fig. 26 is a rear end view of the gun with its magazine mounted thereon, and with the parts of its axially divided vertical trunnion-yoke separated therefrom; Fig. 27 is a front end view of the gun; Fig. 28 is a section of the line -28"28 FiBg s.2and7;'

ig. 29 is a bottom plan view of the magazine;

Fig. 30 is a detail view of the fire-control tumbler;

Figs. 30, 30 30, 30 and 30 are sections through Fig. 30, taken respectively on the lines a-a; bb,' 0-0; (ld and e-e;

Fig. 31 is a vertical section of the magazinc in position upon the throat of the receiver;

Fig. 32 is a horizontal section of the magazine; I

Fig. 33 is a detail view of the magazine rotor with the spiral groove that receives the arresting stop shown in Fig. 25;

Fig. 34 is an axial section through the fixed and rotating parts of the magazine and the stop for limiting rotation thereof;

Fig. 34 is a detail view of an indicator;

Fig. 35 is a perspective view of a magazine charger, adapted to be applied to the magazine when the latter is removed from the gun and inverted; Q

Fig. 36 is a rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 37 is a side elevation of the base thereof;

Fig. 38 is a perspective view of the finger fed follower for expelling the cartridges from the runway of the charges, through the gate of the magazine;

' Fig. 39 is a detail view showing the sectional structure of the runway.

1 represents the receiver, 2 the grip, 3 the trunnions, 4 the magazine, 5 the barrel which is threaded into the receiver at 6, 7 the cooling flue surrounding the barrel, 8 the suction blast for inducing circulation through the cooling flue,-9 the housing for the gas-actuated mechanism, 10 the housing for the drive rods which function the breech mechanism. 11 the fire-selecting tumbler, and

t 12 the breech block buffer cap. The present invention resides in various features of novelty having to do with the several parts of the gun just enumerated, or with the manner of relating them one to another, or the manner of incorporating them in the organization as a whole, as will now be pointed out both generally and in detail, in the following description and particularly defined in the sub-joined claims.

One object of the present invention is to mount a gun of the type described, with increased stability against vertical deflection resulting from firing, to which end, one feature of the invention consists in locating the trunnions 3 of the gun, close to the 'center of stability of the entire mass and in the horizontal plane of the bore; and since this center of stability in a gun of the type herein selected for purposes of illustration will generally lie forward of the front end of the receiver, another feature consists in securin these trunnions to the receiver through means of forwardly extending arms 3 lying on either side of the barrel; while a subordinate feature, in this connection, consists in connecting these forwardly extending trunnion arms with the receiver through means of an integral trunnion ring 3" screwed tightly into the forward end of the receiver 1, concentrically with the barrel 5; and another subordinate feature consists in utilizing this connecting means for the trunnion arms to hold the rear end of a cooling air fiue or tubular jacket 7 surrounding the barrel with a space for the circulation of air.

Another object of the present invention is to provide for ready assembly of the barrel with the receiver in a gun, in which a longitudinally reciprocating mechanism, mounted beneath the barrel and having connections extending into the receiver, is employed for functioning the breech mechanism; to which end, another feature of the present invention consists in connecting the barrelwith the receiver through means of a readily releasable screw thread 6 (preferably a mutilated thread), and utilizing the air flue tube 7 to lock the barrel against unscrewing relatively to the receiver, by providing thereon a spline 7 entering a seat 3 in the trunnion ring and barrel.

Another object of the present invention is.

to provide an eflicient cooling air flue around the barrel and subject it to the blasting effect of the powder gases escaping from the muzzle end; to which end, another feature of the invention consists in combining with a barrel 5 having a circumferential series of longitudinal, radiating ribs 5*, a surround ing jacket or tube 7 spaced from its radiating ribs except at isolated points 5". so that heating of the jacket by direct conductivity is restricted sufliciently to keep the jacket cool enough to handle at all-times; the forward end 7* of the jacket being subject to the suction of the blast of discharge, and its rear end 7 being provided with a circumfertoo ential series of radial opening slots 7, some of which, to avoid choking the air intake, are fed through corresponding openings 3 in the overlapping trunnion arms; while subordinate features in this connection consist in introducing the rear end of the jacket between an enlargement 5 on the barrel and the trunnion ring 3"; also in providing at an intermediate transverse plane in the length of the jacket, spacing lugs 5* upon the outer edges of the ribs with which the jacket may contact; also'in utilizing the gasconnection fitting 13 on the forward portion of the barrel as the means for spacing the forward end 7 of the jacket 7 and resisting its longitudinal movement. Still a further feature in this connection consists in providing this gas fitting with longitudinal passages 13*, forming outlets for the forward flow of the cooling air, and fitting thereto a blasting shell 8 terminating forward of the muzzle of the gun, and which coacts with a flaring nozzle 8 applied to the muzzle; the effect of these parts being to induce a flow of air longitudinally through the cooling jacket in sufficient quantity to convey away the heat radiated from the cooling ribs, and keep the heat of the barrel within permissible limits.- The shell 8 is preferably mounted on the threaded nut 8 that forces the gas-fitting member rearward upon its tapered seat, through which it makes a ground fit upon the barrel, while the front portion of the shell is sustained in spaced relation to the nozzle 8 by means of the spider 8 which is carried by the nozzle. Nozzle 8 has a sliding fit upon the end of the barrel, so that shell 8, nozzle 8", nut 8 and spider 8 constitute a single structure which may be applied or removed by merely rotating the shell and screwing the nut on or off the barrel. The gas fitting 13 which supports the forward end of the cooling jacket 7, carries the front sight 14 and receives the rear end of the shell 8, and has openings 13 for passage of cooling air, while nut 8 has openings 8, and the spider 8 has openings 8' for the same purpose.

The front sight 14 is mounted upon the gas fitting through the medium of the pintle 14", and is controlledby a spring plunger 14 to hold it in either of its normal positions, which plunger is constructed in the form of a cylindrical box for its spring and is mounted in the gas fitting in position to thrust its controlling end into either of the notches 14, 14 of the sight, according to the position the latter occupies! The plunger 14 serves the further purpose of looking the shell 8 against unscrewing movement, for which purpose it is provided with :1 lug 14 that will engage in one of the notches 8 of the shell whenever the sight is being held by the plunger; but a swell 14 on the heel of the sight between the notches 14! and 14 momentarily presses the lug 14 out of locking relation to the shell 8, as the sight passes from one position to the other, so that if the sight be voluntarily arrested in such intermediate position, the shell can be unscrewed.

The gas fitting has a duct l3 which communicates with the,port 5 in the barrel, which port and duct are of such capacity as to deliver to the piston 9 the powder'gases in suflicient quantity at the high pressure of the propelling charge, to drive the piston rearward and function the loading and firing mechanism. A gas control is mounted in the member 13, and valve 13 has a pluralityof (preferably radially disposed and sector-shaped) recesses 13 13 of large and small capacity respectively, each adapted to be positioned to intersect the duct by proper rotary adjustment of the valve, and

thereby regulate the capacity of the duct and control the forceapplied to the piston. Thus therapidity of action, accordlng to heating or other conditions, may be determined at will.

The forward end of the spring chamber 9 has a threaded seat 13 in the gas fitting 13. The piston 9 delivers its work through the rod 9", the rear end 9 of which is threaded into the yoke 10 of the drive rods 10 to drive the latter rearward, and the return movement of the piston with these connected parts is effected through the me dium of the spring 9 Y 16 represents the forearm-actuated drive connection for the" yoke 10 of the drive rods 10, which comprises a ring embracing the spring housing 9, connected through drawrod 16 with a finger hook and latch 16" which latter normally locks the actuator against rearward movement; also a thrust rod 16 extending rearwardly in .a lon 'itudinal'slot formed in the under side oft e tube 9 and terminating in an upturned end 16 which lies in front oflthe yoke 10, and

is secured against displacement by provid-- ing it with a boreby which it loosely embraces the piston rod 9". Rearward pressure applied to latch 16 and finger hook, releases the ring 16 and drives the yoke 10 and drive rods 10 rearwardly, taking with them, piston rod 9? and piston 9*, and compressing the return spring. 9. Initial opening of the'breech and cooking of the gun are thus accomplished and followed by the closing of the breech under the reaction of actuating mechanism, in a manner to sus tain its split rear end against either collapse or expansion, and as an abutment for the rear end of the springin said chamber, and a guide for the hand-operated connection 16 and for piston rod 9*; to which end, a further feature consists in mounting in the forward end of the housing 10 of the drive rods, a header 17 in the form of a guiding abutment formed with a central bore 17' forthe pistonrod 9*, with a concentric annular seat 17 for the tube 9 that constitutesflthe spring chamber, and with a lower guide 17 for the longitudinally reciprocating hand rod 16; a subordinate feature in this relation consisting in forming the forward end of the drive rod chamber of a tube 10 screwed at 1 into the front end of the receiver, and carrying suitable abutments 10 that provide the stop for the yoke 10* of the drive rods, in their forward, or breech-closing movement, and also receive the header 17 and hold it against rotation; and another subordinate feature consistingv in having the upturned end 16 of the hand rod 16 which surrounds the piston rod 9",, just forward of the yoke 10*, enter between the abutments 10 at the limit of its forward movement, and thus find its arresting abutment against the header 17, which permits ring 16, rod 16 and end 16 to be'readily assembled when made integral.

Another object is to provide a simple and efiicient breech closure of the non-rotating reciprocating block type, with locking means near its forward end; to which end, a further feature of the invention consists in combining with a breech block 18, provided with forward side lugs 18 which adapt it to reciprocate in longitudinal ways 18 in the side walls of the receiver 1, a pair of locking win s 19 fulcrumed through pintles 19 upon t e rear portion of the block, and having their forward ends 19 abutting the rear faces of the lugs 18 on the block, and having upon their own outer faces, lugs 19 movable from positions in alinement with the block lugs 18, which they occupy while-the breech block is reciprocating, to positions which bring them forward of arcuate shoulders 1 on the side walls of the receiver, which these Wing lugs occupy when the breech is locked, so that resistance to opening is transmitted through the block lugs 18 to the forward ends 19 of the wings, and through shearing resistance of these wingsand their own'lugs 19 to the shoulders in the side walls of the receiver;

and a further feature in this connection consists in utilizing these locking wings for imparting the reciprocating movements to the breech block, for which purpose, the

drive rods 10 are connected to the-lockingbreech block independently of pintles 19, as by having arcuate faces 19 of the wings bear against guiding lugs 18 on the breech block, the wings being also provided with faces 19 that bear beneath the lugs 18 at the limit of the unlocking movement, which together with the arrest of the forward locking lugs 19 on the Wings, by the bottoms of the guide grooves 18 of the receiver, relieves the'wing pintles 19 of vertical stress in the rearward arrest of the breech block. Further features in the construction of the breech block relate to the extractor, according to which a vertically swinging hooked pawl 20 secured by a transverse pin 20 in a forwardly opening recess 18 of the breech seat 20 block, is provided with a sprin formed directly in the pawl, so t at it may be slid conveniently-to its position with the outer end of the spring 20 riding upon the face of the recess, and thus avoiding the inconvenience of fitting the spring to a special bearing in the breech block; also to the construction of the ejector which coacts with said extractor to trip the spent cartridge shell downwardly and flip it out through the bottom opening 1 in the receiver having ledges l for attachment of a shell recepta cle if desired. Said ejector comprises a projection 20 that works in the groove 18 in the top of the breech-block 18, and the dovetailed anchoring base 20 that slides rearwardly into a correspondingly formed socket in the top of the receiver. A carrier 21 inserted from the rear intoa longitudinal bore 18 in the lower portionof the breech block, has a forwardly presented but vertically offset horn 21 Working in an upper bore 18, coaxial with the chamber of the gun and adapted to receive a firing pin 21", through whichit strikes the primer of the cartridge, a projecting spring 21 being mounted in the portion which enters the lower bore, and the whole being confined by an end closure 21. fitted in the rear end of the breech block, secured by a transverse pin 21, or other readily releasable m'eans, and carrying a guiding core 21 for the projecting spring. Preferabl a part, forinstance through-pin 22, aving its ends counter-sunk in the inner faces of the looking wings and working in a vertical slot 22, is adapted to intercept the forward movement of the carrier so long as the breech is unlocked, and thus prevent the striker from reaching the cartridge, in the event that it should become unintentionally released before the breech block is securely locked. A further feature having relation to the breech closure consists in the construction of the rear limiting cushion or buffer that receives the breech block at the end of its opening movement, according to which a hollow buffer 23 mounted in a bearing 23 formed in the rear end of the receiver, in which it slides longitudinally a distance limited by lugs 23 on the buffer entering slots 23 in the bearing or by other suitable overlap of parts, receives a cushioning spring 23 which, together with the buffer, is confined by a cap 12 screwed upon the rear end of the bearing.

A further object of the invention is to provide for ready assembly and disassembly of the breech closure and firing mechanism with the gun, to which end, a further feature consists in mounting the grip 2 with such portions of the firing mechanism as are readily separable from the striker, upon a frame 2 pivotally supported at one end upon the pin 1, and releasably locked by a latch 2 at its other end in the receiver in.

such manner that when the latch is released and the frame, with the parts which it supports, is swung downward and out of the way (preferably by lifting it from "its hinging bearing), and the breech block is moved to its rearward position, the drive rods, normally spread apart b'y'an intervening portion 2? of the frame and held upon their pin connections 19 with the locking wings, may now be pressed together to disengage them from said locking wings, and the breech block lowered through the opening left by the removal of the frame, the breech block being removable at such time, because in complete assembly, the vertical support for the rear end of the breech block is afforded solely by the upper edge 2 of the removable frame, and when the rear end of the breech block is dropped down, its forward end may then continue rearward until the front lugs 18 pass beyond the rear .ends of the side grooves 18 in which they travel.

Another object'is to provide a novel construction of trigger connection with the sear, whereby such connection will not only be automatically released by the opening of the breech block, butwill be held out of reengaging position so long as the trigger is held in retracted position, so that while available for any number of individually delivered shots, and for the first shot in starting automatic firing, the connection between the trigger and the sear will beheld out of functioning relation to the sear and free from the action of the breech block. To this end, another feature consists in providing the trigger 24, fulcrumed at 24, with a pawl 24 connected with the trigger through means of'the pintle 24", preferably upon the horizontal arm 24 of the trigger, and providing it with a spring 24 that presses its hook normally into engagement with the sear 25, so that when the trigger is pulled, the rear end of the sear 25 will be rocked downward to release the striker 21. Sear 25 is mounted through means of pintle 25 on sear is insured by the tail piece 24 the continned separation of the tripping pawl and the sear will be insured, so long as the trigger is held.

A further object is to provide, for rapid fire, a sear release that is entirely independent of that throu h which the trigger acts, and which is itsefi actuated by the closing of the breech, and, in order to insure greater safety, by the end of the locking movement of the breech; and to these ends, -an independent sear tripper 26, slidably mounted upon the pin 26 and normally retracted by spring 26,'is provided with a shoulder 26 throughwhich it is adapted to engage the depending end of the sear 25. This rapid fire tripper is further provided with a lug 26, which lies in the path of a lug 26 on one of the locking wings 19, and encountered by such wing lug just as the wings approach their limit of locking movement, so that the striker will not be released until the breech is safely closed. The rapid fire sear tripper 26 may swing vertically upon its pin 26, as

well .as slide upon said pin, and the spring 26 acts upon said tripper at a point ofiset from the pin 26, so that the sear-engaging end of said tripper is normally pressed downward out of position, where it cannot be encountered by the actuating lug 26 on the locking wing. To elevate this tripper to efiective position, a lever 27 is fulcrumed on the pin 26 and has its rear end 27 projected into the path of a plunger 28, which is normally elevated by a spring 28, but whichmay be depressed at will by a thumb trigger 28 projecting from the left-hand side of the grip 2. So long as the plunger 28 is depressed, the rapid fire sear release will be in effective position; and so long as said lease will be inoperative, and the striker can be released only by pressing, the finger trigger for each shot. For convenience of assembling, plunger 28 is divided, and its spring 28 is housed in its lower plunger post 28 that abuts upwardly against the upper portion 28,-while upward movement is limited by the abutment 28 fixed by through-pin 28 Abutment 28*,plunger 28, and plunger post 28 all have substantially cylindrical form as shown at 28 in Fig. 10, and these parts are held in place by mtroducmg p)awl 24, in the path of the receding them endwise into a substantially vertical seat formed by cylindrical scarfs 28 formed in the opposite inner walls of the frame.

A further object is to provide novel and effective means for preventing discharge of the gun until the grip is firmly within the gunners grasp and firing is intentionally" initiated, to which end; the grip is provided with a common form of safety lever '29 conforming to the rear surface of the grip in a known manner, but this safety lever has novel connections through which it controls the firing, to wit: 30 represents an arresting lever, fulcrumed at 30", for arresting the breech block as the latter starts forward under the action of the return spring 9; to which end, said lever has a cross head 30*, the rear edge of which is adapted to engage notches 30* on the locking Wings 19, as the breech block returns from its fully open position; said arresting lever being rocked by spring 30 to normally present its cross head in engaging position, and forward arcuate faces 30 (see Fig. 14) of the cross head having a direct bearing against the arcuate walls 30*, to relieve the pintle fulcrum 30 from strain. A leg 30 on the lever 30 enters the path of the dog 29 on the safety lever 29, so that by pressing the lever 29 inward in the act of firmly embracing the grip by the hand of the gunner, lever 30 .is rocked downward to release the breech block and each shot could be delivered only by pulling the finger'trigger 24,'and each shot would be followed by an opening of the breech and arresting it in open position, since the dog 29" has a heel 29 that strikes the wall 2 that trips the dog from the leg 30 of lever 30 each time the grip is pushed inward, andthus permits the lever 30 to turn to the position in which it will arrest the breech -block. It will be understood, however, that the grip lever maybe forced inward to permit closing of the breech, and the 'gun will not be fixed until the finger trigger is pulled; thus all preparations may be made for firing, but the shot not actually delivered until the aim is complete.

A further object is to provide an improved safet device that will prevent either pulling the nger trigger, .or pressing in the grip lever, and .to these ends, a further feature consists in providing a lever with a pin 29 that must pass through a bore 11" in the tumbler 11 each time the grip lever is'pressed inward. Tumbler 11 is rotatable by its index lever 11 on the exterior of the ip, and if it be turned to a position with re 11" out of alinement with pin 29, grip abutment with one or another of the three sector faces 11 11, 11 of said tumbler, and so holds it against axial displacement and also against unintentional rotary movement from any of its three positions to which it may be adjusted for fire control.

Likewise, under the control of the tumbler 11, is a trigger stop 32, fulcrumed at 33 with one horn 32 coacting with the tumbler 11 and another horn 32 movable'into andout of the path of the finger trigger 24, or a projection 24 carried thereby. A third horn 32 on the trigger stop 32 is adapted to engage beneath the shoulder 28 of the plunger 28, and prevent depression of the latter when the tumbler 11 is turned to safety position. Thus all voluntarily actuated parts of the firing mechanism may be-rendered immovable and the gun made thoroughly safe, though fully loaded, when not in use.

Trigger stop 32 is pressed normally out of effective position by aspring plunger 32, which, though mounted in the vertically movable plunger 28, has a sufficient range of movement to retain its control over the trigr stop even when plunger 28- is depressed.

lunger 28 is normally elevated by spring 28*, and it has its ,connection with thumb trigger 28 through the medium of the dowel 28 secured thereto by threaded pin 28,. Connection of plunger 28 With the setting lever of rapid fire sear tripper 26 is through the medium of the slot 28 in said plunger.

A further object is to permit the breech block arresting lever 30 to be locked out of arresting position for single shot'firing, so that the breech will close after each shot,- and to-this end, the tumbler 11 is provided with a cam 11, which, when the firing index on the outer end of said tumbler 11 points forwardly, will engage with the tail piece 30, pressing the latter forward and the engaging wings 30 downward out of the path 'of the shoulders 30 of the locking wings.

A further object is to provide for positively holding the lifting lever 2710f the automatic fire sear release 26, in its lifting position so long as the plunger of the thumb trigger is depressed, thereby steadying the positions of these parts which insure automatic firing; also to provide for the release of the positive holding means and the withdrawal of the automatic fire sear release instantly, so as to insure the striking of the sear only when the parts are in full engagement; also to permit return of the breech block arresting lever to arresting position whenever automatic fire ceases, in order that the gun may be left open for cooling. To

' these ends, lever 30 controls a rocking dog the lever 30 simultaneously pressed inward by the grip lever 29; and a dogging lever 35 resting at 28 upon the plunger 28 andpressed downward by spring 35*,lying beneath abutment 28 follows the plunger downward and enters behind the upper end 1 30 of lever 30, whenever the depression of plunger 28 and the rocking of lever 30 occur simultaneously, which conditions obtain so long as the thumb trigger is depressed. The thumb trigger thus becomes the means for continuing automatic firing and is adapted to arrest automatic firing by merely permitting it to rise with its plunger 28 under the action of spring 28*, for at the end of this rising movement, it trips off the dog 35 and allows the lever 30 to rock back into normal position under the action ,of its spring 30, thereby withdrawing the dog 34 from the end 27 of the lifting lever and permitting automatic fire sear release 26 to Withdraw from the 'path of the wing lug which actuates it. When the parts are in these positions, the breech may be closed by merely preming the grip,lever 29, when the gun will be loaded and cooked ready for firing. If now the finger trigger be pulled, a single shot will be delivered and the breech will open and remain so until the grip lever is released to permit reengagement of the tripper 29 with the tail piece 30 of lever 30; or if it be desired to proceed withsingle shot firing without having to release the grip lever each time to close the breech, theindex on the outer end of the tumbler 11 will be turned to forward p0sition, to permanently retire the breech-arresting lever 30 when single shot firing may proceed at will; or if it be desired to resume rapid or full automatic fire, thumbtrigger with plunger 28 will be depressed, and grip lever 29 pressed inward to permit closing of the breech, whereupon rapid fire will commence,

since the rapid fire sear release will be elevated into the path of the wing lug 26. If it be desired to shift from single shot fire to rapid fire, which will take place while the breech is closed, downward presure is applied tothe thumb trigger in the usual way, followed by the pressing of the grip lever and. the finger trigger. Plunger 28 will not yield at first, because the lug 26 on wing 19 is overlying the projection on the rapid fire sear release but as soon as the breech moves rearward under the reaction of the first shot, plunger 28 will yield to the pressure of the thumb instantly and bring thefire-control parts into conditions which insure rapid fire as already explained.

A ,further object is to provide means for preventing the opening of the receiver by the downward swinging of the frame 2, so long as the gun is cooked, to which end a further feature consists in providing the latch 2 witha rod connection 37 extending forwardly and carrying a lu'g 37 that encounters a projection 37 on the side of the sear 25 whenever the sear is in position to arrest the striker, so that latch 2 cannot be pressed inward to release the frame 2 until the trigger is pulled, or, in other words, until there is no longer an unspent cartridge in the gun.

A further object is to provide an 'efficient support for the horizontal trunnioiis of the gun and to adapt this support to be conveniently assembled with the trunnions; to which end, another feature consists in providing an axially divided vertical trunnion 38 adapted to fit into the socket of a tripod or other mounting (not shown), said vertical trunnion being formed with arms 38* with horizontal trunnion bearings 38", so as tomakeup a yoke in which the gun can rest. And a further object is to afiord, through means of this support, a yielding resistance to elevation movements of the gun upon its horizontal trunnions, to which end a further feature consists in forming the divided yoke with recesses 38 which, together, form a guide or slideway for a radius arm 39, pivoted at 39 to the receiver 1. To maintain friction on the radius arm in its slideway, a spring-pressed disk'38 is provided. Theudividing of the yoke facilitates introduction of the radius arm into its slideway, as well as the fitting of the yoke members to the horizontal trunnions.

A further object is to provide an -eflicient magazine of the rotary hopper type, of comparatively simple construction, and to these ends, a further feature consists inproviding upon the forward end of the receiver 1, a magazine table 40 having bayonet joint looking lugs 40 for engaging a magazine by a rotary movement of "the latter, and inclined face 40 which will serve to lift the magazine and detach it from the table by a reverse rotation; also in providing the magazine 4 with lugs 41 adapted to engage beneath the table lugs 40 and having inclined faces 4'1 adapted to coact with the faces 40 on the table. Interengaging lips 41 on the magazine and 1 on the receiver adjacent to the communicating throats of these two members, prevent lifting of the magazine and the separation of these throats when they are turned into interlocked position. And a further feature in this connection consists in means for locking the magazine against rotation in the direction to unlock it from the table, which means consists in a vertical latching bolt 42 pressed upward by sprin 42 and having an inclined upper other of the inclined notches 42, 42 of the magazine, and permits the latter to ride over the bolt and engage behind it; also a releasing cam 43 having an end 43 that 5 overlies a shoulder 42-"of the bolt 42, so that when said cam is 'rotated by its lever 43", presented within iconvenient reach of the gunner as shown in Fig. 26, the bolt is withdrawn and the Inagazmemay be rotated in the direction to release it. Cam 43 is conveniently secured in position by a pin 43, sunk into the wall of the receiver and engaging in the groove 43 of the cam. A further object is to provide a constru tion of magazine that will receive and feed cartridges in a'spiral series and positively force them toward the throat of the receiver, to which end another feature consists in providing the ma azine with a base 44 that carries the attac ing lugs 41 and affords the bottom. upon which the cartridges are delivered. in reaching the receiver; said base being surmounted by a central fixed core 45 formed with-a spiral groove 45, in which the points of the cartridges may travel,- and a spiral guideway 45 for a follower .51 to be described. The fixed core 45 is constructed in the form of a spring box 46 to receive a helical plate spring 47 anchored I at its outer end to the fixed core at 47 and having a driving-connection 47 at its inner end with the shaft 48 of the inner shell 49 of the magazine, which is securely riveted to and driven by the shaft 48, and which, therefore, constitutes the rotor of the magazine. The rotor is provided with a depending annular flange 49?, carrying inwardly- .extending partitions 49 which provide cartridge stalls to receive the larger ends of the cartridges, and these partitions 49" are formed adjacent to the rotor flange which carries them, with recesses 49 or other means conforming to the necks or flanges of-the cartridges, in order to definitely engage the ends of the cartridges and hold them against movement in a horizontal plane so long as they are under control of the partitions. 'An essential characteristic of the stalls formed by the partitions 49" 50 and their structural feature which adapts them to interlock with the butt end of the cartridge, is that these parts are positioned to carry the cartridges at an angle inclined backward from the radius of the magazine with several advantageous results, principal among which is the improved positioning of the cartridges due to the offsetting of their approaching ends; and most important of all the assurance of proper feeding through" the throat 52 of the magazine and into the throat of the receiver, as well as their proper presentation, one by one, to the closing breech block without the complication of special feeding means ordinarily required for insuring the individual entry of the car- .the rotor, can be given the requisite travel tridges in proper position. That is to say, by havin the point of each cartridge retarded with relation to its butt in reaching the arresting ledges of the receiver throat 1*, which support the cartridge through the medium of its shell, this shell or portion of the cartridge by which it is to be arrested, will reach the ledges beforei,the point has had time to drop down into the receiver, and thus the vertical tipping of the cartridge is prevented. A further advantage of this ackward inclination of the points of the cartridges is that their flanges are stepped and they will lie closer together and in better relation to restrain each one its follower.

A further feature of the improved magazine consists in providing the follower 5'1 with an embracing ring segment 51?, by which it is adapted to travel in the spiral guide45 and with an end 51 entering one of the cartridge stalls so as to insure rotation. of the follower; this follower being provided with a pusher 51 hinged thereon at 51 in position to ride upon the bottom 50 of the magazine and insure feed of the lastca-rtridges down into the throat of the receiver 1.

- 53" represents a gate pivoted at 53 and adapted to be closed by a spring 53 to interrupt the escape of cartridges from the of the receiver 1, as shown in Fig. 31, when the magazine is in place and holds the gate open. But whenever the magazine is removed from the gun, the gate automatically closes to prevent the escape of any cartridges remaining therein.

54 represents a rotary counter having figures adapted to be exposed through a window 54 in the casin of the magazine and adapted to be rotate by pins 54 on the rotor, of which there may be any. desired number, the figures on the counter indicating multiples of cartridges that have-passed into or. out of the magazine, and consequently the number remaining therein,

The follower 51 may serve as the stop to arrest movement of the rotor 49, under the action of its spring 47, but I prefer to em-' ploy a special stop. for this purpose which will act upon-the rotor with an increasin leverage as the magazine is being char and which by following in a spiral pat in to permit several revolutions of the rotor requisite for a large capacity for shells. To this end, an arm 55, pivoted at 55 to the p rotor and having a pin 55 adapted to swing in the radius slot 55.enters the spiral groove 1 25 56 in the disk 56 which is non-rotatably secured by lu '56 to the fixed core or spring box. By t is arrangement, the pin 55" reaches the outer end of the splral groove 56 under the winding action of the spring developed by forcing cartridges into the magazine, and thus acts upon a greater leverage of radial distance in resisting this forcible introduction of cartridges, and it encounters the inner end of the spiral groove under the unwinding action of the spring which is of comparatively low power when thus unwound.

A further object is to provide a suitable means for charging the magazine, and to these ends, a further feature consists in providing a plate 58 having bayonet lock openings 58 adapted to coact with the lugs 41 of the magazine precisely as does the magazine table on the receiver; also a delivery hood 59 adapted to overlie the magazine throat when the magazine is removed from the gun and in inverted position, and interlock therewith by a rotary movement simulating the rotary interlock between the magazine and the gun, and having the lip 59 .to engage with the lip 41 on the magazine precisely as does the lip 1 of the receiver throat and for the same purpose, a vertical runway 59 extending upwardly from said hood 59, and suitably constructed as suggested at 59 to en gage the heads of the cartridges to confine them against lateral displacement in the runway; also displacing follower 60 having a finger hold 60 by which it may be forcibly depressed to expel cartridges from the runway through the hood and into the magazinc, and constructed with a T-head 60 for guiding it in said runway. A latch lever 61, normally depressed by a spring 61 and having a lug 61 resists rotation of the magazine charger relatively to the magazine, just as the latch bolt prevents unlocking rotation of the magazine upon the magazine table.

1. In a gun having a longitudinally reciprocating breech-actuating. member, a forearm-actuated drive connection for said member, comprising a ring mounted to slide upon the gun, a draw rod extending rearwardly from said ring, a manually engaged projection connected with said draw rod. and a latch normally resisting movement of the draw rod associatedwith said projection in position to be released by actuating pressure upon said projection.

2. In a firearm having a longitudinally reciprocating; breech-actuating drive rod, an abutment -limiting forward movement of said drive rod. a thrust rod having an upturned end acting upon the drive rod adj acent to its abutting end, a piston rod working through the abutment and having controlling connection with said drive rod, a

cylindrical housing for said piston rod, and a thrust rod actuating member having asuitable hand-hold, mounted to slide upon said tubular housing and having connection with said thrust rod.

3; In a firearm having a longitudinally reciprocating breech-actuating drive rod, an abutment limiting forward movement of said drive rod, a thrust rod having an upturned end acting upon the drive rod adjacent to its abutting end, a piston rod workin through the abutment and having contro ling connection with said drive rod, a cylindrical housing for said piston rod, and a thrust rod actuating member having a suitable hand-hold, mounted to slide upon ing through the, abutment and having con-' trolling connection with said drive rod, a cylindrical housing for said piston rod, and a thrust rod actuating member having a suitable hand-hold, mounted to slide upon said tubular housing and having connection with said thrust rod; said tubular housing being formed with a. longitudinal slot, and

said thrust rod being fitted to slide in said' slot.

5. In a firearm having a longitudinally reciprocating breech-actuating drive rod, an

abutment limiting forward movement of said drive rod, a thrust rod having an upnularly grooved header in which it fits, seat ed against said abutment and providing a forward limit for the thrust rod.

6. In a firearm, the combination of a receiver having breech mechanism and a longitudinally reciprocated drive rod for said breech mechanism; a housing for the drive rod secured to and projecting forwardly from the receiver and constructed with an abutment providing a forward limit stop for the drive rod, an automatically returninggas-driven piston rod working through said abutment. and having a connection with the drive rod, through which the drive rod, when arrested by the abutment, also arrests the forward movement of the piston rod. and a tubular housing for the piston rod sustained against rearward movement by 1'00 turned end acting upon the drive rod adja- 

